Overview of the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET)
In the 1950s, the State of Kuwait began establishing vocational schools to prepare the workforce required for the emerging oil industry and to support the country’s national development. As the foundational structure of the national education system expanded, the Ministry of Education established several specialized institutions to meet the growing demand for skilled labor. Other government ministries also created their own training centers and institutes.
As the number of institutions increased, the government recognized the need for a centralized authority to supervise and coordinate their activities. In 1972, the Department of Technical and Vocational Education was established to oversee technical and vocational schools. Under this administration, these schools evolved into industrial secondary schools, which later formed the foundation for several technical and vocational institutes, including the Teachers’ Training Institutes for men and women, the Commercial Institute for men and women, the Health Institute, and the Kuwait Institute of Applied Technology for men.
In 1973, the Central Administration for Training was established. In 1976, it was affiliated with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, bringing all existing training centers and institutes under its supervision. These included the Institute of Telecommunications, the Institute of Air Navigation, the Electricity and Water Training Center, and the Shuwaikh Industrial Training Center.
The Department of Technical and Vocational Education continued its operations until 1982, when Amiri Decree No. 63 of 1982 established the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET). The new authority integrated both the Applied Education Sector and the Training Sector under the supervision of the Minister of Education.
In 1986, PAAET further developed its educational system to meet academic and scientific requirements. Several technical institutes were restructured and upgraded into four colleges under the Applied Education and Research Sector: the College of Basic Education, the College of Business Studies, the College of Health Sciences, and the College of Technological Studies, with separate campuses for male and female students.
Training centers were placed under the Training Sector. In line with PAAET’s development policy aimed at enhancing the quality of its graduates, several centers were upgraded into specialized institutes, including the Institute of Telecommunications and Navigation (for men and women), the Electricity and Water Training Institute (now the Higher Institute of Energy), and the Shuwaikh Industrial Training Center for men, in addition to various specialized training programs.
Later expansions included the establishment of the Institute of Nursing, the Sabah Al-Salem Industrial Training Institute, and the Parallel Education Schools for men (now the Vocational Institute). To meet the evolving needs of the labor market, additional institutes were introduced, such as the Construction Training Institute (which began admitting students in the 2000/2001 academic year with a minimum requirement of completion of the fourth intermediate grade), the Tourism Institute, and the Secretarial Institute (now the Higher Institute for Administrative Services).
Education represents the cornerstone of human capital development and the foundation for the progress and prosperity of nations. In pursuit of its mission and in alignment with Kuwait’s national development priorities, particularly the pillar focused on creative human capital, PAAET has adopted a clear strategic vision. The Authority has developed its strategic plan to align with the State’s development framework, “New Kuwait 2035.” This plan outlines programs, initiatives, and performance indicators for the upcoming five-year period (2025–2030), as illustrate
in the accompanying figure:
Figure (1): PAAET Strategic Plan Aligned with the Seven Pillars of Kuwait Vision 2035
Recognizing the importance of strategic planning, the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) initiated a comprehensive process to develop its strategic plan. Several key steps were undertaken to ensure a systematic and well-structured planning process, including:
A comprehensive guide for the strategic plan was developed based on the outcomes of the task force responsible for drafting PAAET's strategic plan. This work was carried out in close collaboration with expert teams from the Arab Planning Institute and the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development.
During the preparation phase, the task force held 17 internal meetings to develop the draft strategic plan. In addition, 16 meetings were conducted with consultants from the Arab Planning Institute and the Supreme Council for Planning and Development to review and evaluate the planning methodology. The team also organized 27 consultation meetings with various PAAET leaders, including the Director General, former Directors General, Deputy Directors General, College Deans, institute directors, assistant deans and assistant institute directors, as well as department heads. Furthermore, six workshops on the principles of strategic planning were conducted, benefiting approximately 200 PAAET staff members.
Through the development of this strategic plan, PAAET aims to establish an ambitious vision aligned with the State of Kuwait’s development vision and national development plans. The objective is to build a distinguished academic institution and enhance its competitive capacity by promoting excellence in scientific research and academic performance. This will contribute to advancing the applied education system, ensuring its quality, and strengthening the efficiency of technical and vocational training to meet the highest standards of professional education and training.
In addition, PAAET seeks to align its curricula, academic programs, and training courses with modern technological developments. The Authority is committed to improving teaching methodologies and educational technologies to enhance learning outcomes while ensuring that its programs respond effectively to the current and future needs of the labor market.
